Chapter Thirty-Four
Avari
Listening to all the ways River and his close circle tried to help their people made my head spin. Knowing he had gone through difficult situations was one thing, but seeing the pain and tragedy in his eyes felt like drowning in a cold, black sea of despair.
Their list of tried solutions had been limitless, and I could spend hours sifting through all the ways they had tried to cleanse their comrades.
When I explained that several of them could work but only performed by a witch, they shared that they suspected but could not let them suffer without searching for a remedy.
They kept a list of people cursed and the symptoms as well; some even worse than their brother Blaze, and a lot of them already deceased.
It became blatantly obvious that Ortensian soldiers had been putting twists on the curses; once fulfilled, the object felt compelled to end their life.
A blessing in disguise since those currently incapacitated still had a chance at a normal life once I gathered enough resources to cleanse them.
Moonstones, moonlight, spring water, sage and salt.
Things I asked for in abundance, that now lay before me, charging and gathering the energy from the surrounding nature.
My green coils wrapped around the crystals like ribbons of light, pulsing softly as I nudged the flow of magic to increase even more.
‘We used to leave them outside to charge, but they never glowed like this before.’ River looked intrigued. His solemn attitude was long replaced with a commitment to heal his family and citizens.
‘That’s because crystals respond better to witches. Besides, I’m pushing more energy into them as we speak to make them more potent.’ I brushed my hand over one, picking it up and passing it to River.
‘Is it ready?’ he asked, shocked at the prompt process.
‘This one is. Cleansing isn’t super complicated, though depending on the curse, more than one type of cleanse might be necessary.’
River analysed the glowing object from every angle before querying more, ‘And we just make them wear it?’
Happy to help and pleased he no longer recoiled from my witchcraft, I provided the necessary details. ‘Wear it, keep it in their pocket for the next few days. It needs proximity to work.’
We stood, making our way back to the castle. His eyes welled up as he thanked me. ‘I don’t think you know how much this means, Ava.’
‘I can see how much your people mean to you. My mother never cared about ours; she only cared about power.’ I lowered my gaze, searching for the right words. ‘I know you're different, and you don't know how happy this place makes me.’
I drew a slow breath.
‘But, River, I never realised how far she'd go to win this conflict between you. Please... don't hate me, but I think you really have to consider what you're doing by keeping me here...’
A flicker of dread twisted through me—not fear of him, but fear of wrecking the fragile peace we had finally built.
Taking a step back, he flinched.
‘What are you saying, Ava?’ He looked defeated. ‘This again? Are you asking me to let you go back to that monster? She hurt you and cursed you worse than I have ever seen her curse my people! You think I will let you go back to her to kill you next time?!’
I knew the conversation was difficult, but I needed him to see reason. ‘Please, River, I’m just saying—’
‘No, Ava! I need space. I don’t want to listen to this any longer. I’m not letting that bitch near you, understand?’
Raging off with tendrils of flames breaking out of his hands, River left me in the courtyard. The air stayed hot where he’d been, waves of residual heat lapping at my skin long after his footsteps faded.
Not willing to be alone, I reached out to the only one I needed at that moment.
‘Are you up?’
Grumpy as ever, Anya bellowed, ‘I am now. What?’
I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for waking her. ‘I’m coming to you; I want to see the caves.’
Huffing, the beast offered, ‘I will come get you.’
I refused, ‘No, I need a walk to clear my head.’
‘It will take your pathetic legs hours.’
‘Then it will be very refreshing.’
Though stuck in the turmoil of heightened emotions, sense prevailed, and I rushed inside to grab a coat and a slight packing of snacks and water.
‘Lady Ava, is everything alright?’ Maddie’s scrutinising gaze fell on my bag. ‘Going somewhere?’
I squeezed a water bottle to the remnants of space left inside it and answered, ‘Yes, just heading out because I have a few things to take care of.’
As considerate as the last time I had seen her, she offered, ‘Can I provide any assistance?’
‘Not where I’m going, thanks, Maddie.’ I squeezed her shoulder in a sign of sympathy and left her behind without looking back.
A woman on a mission.
A woman going to see her dragon, whom she had been neglecting for the past few weeks.
A woman who felt bad for her bonded’s isolation when we had been so close.
A woman with a lot of regrets.
Looking from afar, I had never noticed the number of small hills one needed to get through to reach the Cave City. The long walk would serve as a great opportunity for contemplation.
I recalled the first time I met River. So much had changed since then: my outlook on the kingdom of Fogoya and my own. My distrust towards my people had grown enough that I wasn’t sure there was any reconciliation for them in the future.
They cursed the Fogoyans. Made them kill each other, kill their families. It wasn’t just evil; it was demented. I wanted no part in such a kingdom, nor the family where my mother allowed it to happen.
No, she didn’t just allow it; she ordered it to happen. That much was obvious.
‘Are you done with your hike yet?’ Anya poked fun through our bond.
‘I’ve only been walking for fifteen minutes; have some faith.’
The journey to her created a great opportunity to delve into the forest that was so clearly fond of me.
The trees welcomed me by humming a song of energy as I walked by and let my fingers caress some of the greenery.
Though as I reached a tiny clearing, before I could react, a serpent the length of my leg crawled up my arm and tightened, not daring to let go.
‘Okay, little guy. Get down and everything will be fine,’ I promised, taking deep breaths. Each time I reached for it, my hands vanished into the swirling black smoke like it refused to be touched.
What kind of magic was that?
I attempted it once more, and the same thing happened.
Trying to assess the situation, I used flames as a source of light and nearly passed out as I noticed that it consisted purely of dark shadows as if it were a fugitive from the pits of hell.
It encircled my arm and started to move towards my neck.
Neither my fire nor witchly abilities could remove the sentient gathering of black coils, as it rested on my neck like a scarf with no care in the world.
A weightless chill seeped into my skin, indifferent to the panic beneath it. Not caring at all that I had been trying to torch it, squash it, and throw it off me.
Trying not to panic—a fresh resolution, considering my life’s recent descent into chaos—I let go of my grip on the magic and allowed the creature to remain. If it meant harm, surely it would’ve struck by now.
I continued marching towards the mountains.
Anya wasn’t lying about how far the caves were. The hike felt like over two hours, but I needed it. Yet, it would have been nicer if I hadn’t had to worry about the mysterious creature adamant on serving me as a necklace.
‘I’m here.’
Entering through an opening wide enough to engulf half of my Ortensian castle, I found it mesmerising. The stone walls were covered in carved art depicting dragons and people soaring the skies, entire herds flying together, as well as individual dragons feeding on sheep—that one made me chuckle.
The silent shadow stirred, as if interested, and though I refused, I felt a strange urge to pet it. Within a minute, my winged companion landed beside me.
‘Anya, this is spectacular,’ I said, unable to tear my eyes away.
‘What is that you have around your neck?’ the beast cringed.
Was she jealous? ‘Oh, it’s some sort of stray, I don’t know. It seems gentle enough.’
‘It’s disgusting,’ she bit out.
‘Hey, don’t offend it. It has feelings too, probably.’
She stared like I had grown two heads. ‘It’s a clump of shadows. And it can’t hear us.’
We walked together as I took in the new environment, huge empty territories tall enough to let several dragons fly inside, with ample space left and what seemed like individual chambers carved in stone.
It reminded me that I had never asked Anya whether dragons preferred privacy.
Anya scoffed. ‘Did you think dragons mated with the herd, cheering them on?’
‘I didn’t think about dragon matings,’ I said, blushing.
‘Just the fae ones?’ my winged companion teased.
I turned my back on her. ‘Nothing of that sort.’
‘Right… I’ve seen a dream or two of your making.’
Pitch higher than I cared for, I raised my voice to make her back off. ‘I can’t control my dreams!’
As usual, at the mention of intimacy, I felt the invasive heat assaulting my face, at which my dragon laughed and ridiculed me more.
Subconsciously, I started to pet the clump of shadows for comfort, and the serpent purred happily as ever. It disintegrated before when I tried to remove it, yet now its body was corporeal.
We explored the Cave City for a while before resting against a polished pillar.
‘Anya, my mother might be a blood witch,’ I shared, humiliated by everything I had learnt recently.
‘I suspected…’
‘What? You did? Why didn’t you say anything?’
Anya let out a huff. ‘Because you would just get yourself in trouble like you always do.’
Sneaky beast. ‘That’s not… Okay, it might be true. How did you know?’
‘It’s her smell. Like decay.’ The dragon snarled at the memory.
‘She’s a soulless wretch; that would explain it, too.’
‘Not quite,’ Anya explained. ‘Your sister smells like it too.’
Oh, no. ‘Which one?’
‘Lilian.’
‘And Willow?’ She was just as evil.
‘No.’
Scared to even ask, I needed to know what she thought. ‘Anya, do you think my mother meddled in our bond?’
Her voice was calm as she reassured me, ‘Not even a blood witch can meddle in dragon bonds.’
‘But it’s an awful coincidence I conjured you with a mother who’s supposedly a blood witch…’ I couldn’t stop thinking of ways the queen could have attempted to twist our fate. Or why she would do it.
‘Coincidences are what these lands are made of, child.’
‘Maybe you’re right.’
Changing the subject, the dragon asked, ‘You’ve grown stronger as of late. I like it. Is the king treating you right?’
‘My fire powers emerged in the Land of Volcanoes. It was spectacular…’
‘And what were you doing there?’
'Training and making acquaintances with the craziest woman I’ve ever met, Anya. Absolutely bonkers!’
‘I’m glad you’re thriving. I like it here, too. Now, it’s almost morning; let me fly you back. Get some sleep.’